The lives of thousands of fish are at risk at a Spanish aquarium as its electricity supplier threatens to turn off the power next week, due to an unpaid bill.

The struggling Roquetas de Mar Aquarium in Almeria owes the power company Endesa 9,500 euros (around £8140). As a result Endesa says it will switch off the aquarium's electricity on February 7 if the bill remains unpaid. Such a move could see the deaths of thousands of fish at what is Andalucia's largest aquarium, unless they can be rehomed elsewhere in time.

The aquarium's director Enrique Fernández, held crisis talks with the energy company in the hope that it would postpone any action until the summer, when revenue at the popular tourist attraction is expected to increase. However, this proposal has not been accepted.

Mr Fernández told Europa Press that he sees the future of the aquarium as 'very black'.

A meeting will be held early next week with the aquarium's partners, which include a number of Spanish businesses, to see if any of them can supply the funds to keep the aquarium running.

According to a report in The Olive Press, Roquetas de Mar Aquarium has been struggling under a debt of 3.5m euro (around £3m) for a number of years.